The First Encounter
by The Asylum of the Devitory
Summary: The world heavyweight title is up for grabs in one of the best matches in WWE history...


The metaphorical butterflies were flying all around the arena. Their stomachs knotted and lungs froze, unable to stand the paralysing anxiety any longer. They stood like the points of a triangle apart from each other; never taking their eyes off of the one they hated the most. Shawn Michaels, the charismatic playboy who had overcome his small, thin stature with the passion and fire that had carried him to glory for fourteen years past, kept his glare locked on his traitorous former confidant, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The most battle-hardened of the three, Chris Benoit, a technical mastermind who stood just less than six feet and was built like a tank, kept his spiteful stare upon Michaels. Michaels was the man who had snuck his way into this contest, stealing away a piece of the spotlight on what was rightfully his and Helmsley's match, and added another obstacle between him and victory. Benoit had lasted one hour and twenty-nine other men in the annual Royal Rumble melee, earning him a championship chance, and he would be damned before he let a lone weasel steal away with his rightful glory. Helmsley cared as much for Benoit as he did know about him, having only encountered him once four years ago, and although he did not like to admit it, but he would rather settle the burning hatred between he and Michaels before having to worry about Benoit grabbing at him. His bulky, towering frame gave him the strength advantage over both of his opponents, and the thought of being pinned by anyone weaker than he was a shame worse than death. Earl Hebner, the trusty referee whom these three men were to trust with their fates, took the gigantic leather strap from Helmsely, caught with a brief rapture at the sight of his reflection upon the massive gold plates that adorned it. The world heavyweight championship would bring the ultimate prestige to whomever should hold it, and in only seconds these three would tear each other to scraps for it. Hebner allowed Helmsley one last glimpse at his championship before presenting it to Michaels, and then to Benoit. Hebner then held the title up high, presenting it for all of Madison Square Garden to see before handing it to the timekeeper on the apron of the ring. He then patted down Michaels' kneepads and boots, checking for anything that would illegally sway the match in his favor. Michaels kept glaring at Helmsley as Hebner finished his inspection and moved to do the same to Helmsley, patting his kneepads and boots. Helmsley never took his sneering gaze off of Michaels as Hebner began to pat down Benoit's padding, with Benoit's stare burning holes through Michaels. Hebner rose, looked at the timekeeper by ringside, and gave the signal to ring the bell.

And with a pair of reverberating strikes from the tiny hammer to the brass hub, the match had officially begun.

Both Michaels and Benoit moved in on Helmsley, backing him into the corner of the ring as Michaels raised his half-closed fist and coiled his arm back. Benoit suddenly grabbed Michaels' wrist, pulling his arm down and barking out an order. Michaels would have none of Benoit's yelling, and shoved him down into the middle of the ring. Michaels landed a quick punch to Helmsley's jaw, satisfied to finally be using his knuckles to snap Hunter's head back. Before he could land a second to Helmsley's nose, Benoit had his arms wrapped around Michaels' waist from behind, and Michels found himself flung like a rag doll down on the canvas. Benoit wound back his fist as Hunter shook to cobwebs from his cranium just as Benoit's fist smacked his cheek. Helmsley reeled in the corner, and Benoit pulled back hus fist again. Two hands clamped on Benoit's shoulders from behind, and yanked him violently away from Helmsley, sending him tumbling head over heels back to the center of the ring. As Hunter was still collecting himself from the assault, Michaels landed another fist to his nose, scrambling Hunter's senses completley. Again Benoit was back on his feet, grabbing Michaels' arm and spinning him around. Michaels swung his fist around in frustration at Benoit's temple, but with the speed that had saved him many a time before, Benoit ducked underneath Shawn's arm and lunged his weight upon Michaels' shoulder, taking both to the mat and planting Michaels belly-first. Deciding to try and end the match quickly, Benoit wrenched back the arm of Michaels that he hand captured, tucked it between his legs, and clamped his hands around Michaels' face, trying to lock in the submission move that could make even the toughest man whimper, the crippler crossface. Michaels struggled and flopped around violently, thrashing his way out of the crossface and rolling forward, spinning out of Benoit's grip.

Both men sprung quickly to their feet, with Michaels' flattened palm slashing like a knife against Chris' chest. Bearing the stinging senation running though his nerves, Benoit would back his arm, returning Michaels' chop with one of his own chops that had made him famous, swinging with all the fury of a rocket-powered machette across Michaels' breast. Michaels stiffed the pain in his chest to chop Benoit back, with Benoit chopping him viciously again. Realising that trying to go chop-for-chop with Benoit was like trying to extinguish a grease fire with a dry sponge, Michaels lurched formward and brought his knee into Benoit's stomach, folding Benoit over immediately. Resorting to basic tactics, Michaels pressed himself against Benoit's body and forced him into the stretchy ring ropes, using the rebound to slingshot Benoit to the other side. As Michaels let go of Benoit's hand, Benoit clamped down upon Michaels' wrist, spinning on his heel and shooting Michaels to the ropes instead. By this time, Helmsly had regained enough balance to stagger along the side of the ring, shaking his head in confusion as he used to ropes to support himself, wandering right into Michaels' path. Shawn's body crashing into him at full speed was enough to send Helmsley's massive frame spilling through the top and middle rope, dropping him onto the thin crash mats along the outside of the ring. Still dazed and stunned, Hunter decided to just lay still and recover his strength, letting Michaels and Benoit tear each other down for him.

As Michaels rubbed his sore hip from the collision with Helmsley, Benoit charged in on him and threw a punch to his jaw. Michaels' head snapped back and rolled forward again ready for Benoit to land two more fists on his cheek. Benoit reached down and hoisted Michaels up, flipping him upside down and preparing to drop him hard on his back when Michaels kicked his feet and squirmed behind Benoit, slipping over Benoit's shoulders and landing skillfully on his feet, Michaels waited until Benoit swivelled around before clamping his arm around Benoit's head and spinning himself like a corkscrew to the mat, yanking Benoit by his neck over Michaels' chest and landing unforgivingly on the canvas. Benoit struggled and fought to break free of Michaels' headlock, eventually managing to kick his legs up and wrap them around Michaels' neck. Purely on impulse, Michaels propped himseld up by his feet and hurled himself across Benoit, breaking his head free from Benoit's legs and using his weight to pin Benoit down. Hebner, noticing both of Benoit's shoulders anchored to the mat, dove down beside Benoit and brought his hand upon the canvas twice before Benoit arched his back, breaking the pin and powering his way off the canvas, lifting Michaels as he stood and twisted himself around, spinning Michaels' back to him. Benoit hooked Michaels' left arm with his left and his right with his right, trying to haul Michaels over his back for a textbook backslide pin. Michaels knew what was happening, and pulled with all his might to escape the hold, breaking free and spinning around, throwing a wild punch at Benoit's face. Benoit had already anticipated this, again capturing Michaels' arm and forcing him down for his crossface. As soon as Michaels' belly hit the mat, he bouced up like a rubber ball and slipped out of Benoit's grasp, immediately grabbing Benoit's leg and lunging over him, hooking Benoit's knee to his temple and holding him down for a pin. Hebner was on the canvas a heartbeat later, counting a two before Benoit kicked his way free of Michaels' cradle.

Within a second, both Chris and Shawn were on their feet again, with Michaels being the first to strike, throwing another reckless fist at Benoit. Benoit had again correctly predicted Michaels' actions, ducking low and letting Michaels' own momentum spin him around, letting Benoit firmly wrap his arms around Michaels' waist from behind. And with a mighty heave, Benoit tugged Michaels backwards and fell onto his back, popping Michaels over his head and slamming his shoulders onto the mat. the German suplexes were another one of his favorite techniques, and he liked to keep his waistlock intact and deliver suplex after suplex on his opponents. As Benoit pulled Michaels up for another suplex, Michaels instinctivley stuck his leg out behind him between Benoit's legs, hooking his foot around Benoit's shin. Benoit heaved upwards, but Michaels stayed in place. Shawn lashed out behind him, throwing his elbow into Benoit's temple. Having stunned Benoit, Michaels swung his elbow around again, only to have Benoit slip underneath his arm for a third time, keeping the waistlock tight as Michaels' spun around to face Benoit, who quickly stuck his head underneath Michaels' arm and lobbed him over his shoulder, arching his back and landing like a bridge as Michaels' hit the mat, pinning Michaels' shoulders down. Hebner dove to the canvas again, only able to reach a two count before Michaels broke free of Benoit's suplex pin. They were on their feet again in an instant, and realising that a punch would only give Benoit the advantage again, Michaels rushed in on Benoit before he could collect himself and levelled him flat with a clothesline. Looking down on Benoit was a relief for Michaels, finally able to overcome the much more experienced technitian. As soon as the thought of taking the fight to Helmsley crossed his mind, Hunter had already slipped back inside the ring and clobbered Michaels with a violent clothesline of his own, flooring Michaels immediately.

With Michaels rolling to the side of the ring in a daze, Helmsley moved in on Benoit, grabbing him by the head and yanking him up, throwing a quick fist to Benoit's forehead. Even though it was just a thoughtless jab, Helmsley's power easily sent Benoit stumbling towards the turnbuckles. With Benoit's senses scrambled, Helmsley trudged over towards Michaels and brought him to his feet, landing another jab to Shawn's jaw. Helmsley then decided to deal with Benoit before destroying Michaels, grabbed Michaels by the wrist, and launched him over the top rope. As Helmsley turned to attack Benoit, he never noticed that Michaels had grabbed the top rope as he went over, hanging on and dangling over the edge of the ring. Flexing his abdominals and sucking in his breath, Michaels pulled himself up and over the top rope again as Helmsley grabbed Benoit by the sides of his head. As soon as he felt Helmsley pull him up, Benoit threw his arms up and swatted away Helmsley's hands, and before Hunter could react, Benoit slashed away with a knife-edge chop to his chest. Without taking another breath, Benoit wound his arm back again and chopped Helmsley again before unloading a pair of punches above his heart. The assault did little more than stun the bulky Helmsley, but Benoit tried to whip him into the ropes anyway. Helmsley maganged to stop himself before Benoit let go, tugging Chris forward and shooting him into the ropes instead. As Benoit neared the ropes, Michaels got in his way, grabbed Benoit by the back of his head, and slingshotted him over the top. Benoit landed hard onto the crash mats below, leaving only Helmsley and Michaels in the ring together at last.

The instant the two locked eyes, Michaels tore into Helmsley with two wild jaw punches, grasped him by the arm, and whipped him into the ropes that he had thrown Benoit over. Helmsley bounced off the ropes and headed back towards the prepared Michaels, who had bowed his head low to catch Helmsley's legs and buck his body up, flipping Helmsley into the air and leaving him to drop clumsily onto his back behind him. Hunter yowled and moaned in pain, dragging himself to a corner of the ring and using the ropes to pull himself back up again, only to have Michaels move like his own shadow and meet him with a chop and punch to Helmsley's massive chest. With Helmsley stunned, Michaels pulled him out of the corner and flung him to the ropes again, only to have Helmsley again keep his grip on Michaels' hand, whirling around and sending Michaels away. Shawn bounced off the ropes as Helmsley swung a clothesline, missing by a few inches as Michaels dodged underneath and bounced off the ropes on the other side, only to have Hunter leap up and drive his knee into Michaels' forehead. Michaels hit the mat in a heartbeat, and Helmsley was over top of him even quicker, managing to keep Michaels' shoulders down for Hebner to give a two count before Michaels kicked out.

With Michaels lying down in a daze, Helsmley felt that Benoit had been absent from combat for too long, and would hit him from behind if left to rest hismelf long enough. Assured that Michaels was too battered to give him any more problems, Helmsley treked towards the apron, where Chris had just pulled himself up on. Benoit was quick to notice Helmsley advancing on him, rearing back and grabbing the middle rope, thrusting his shoulder into Helmsley's gut the moment he approached. Helmsley staggered back and moved in on Benoit again, with Benoit driving his shoulder into Helmsely's belly again, knocking Helmsley onto his knees. Helmsley rose again and Benoit lunged forward a third time, only to have Hunter throw his knee into Benoit's face, knocking Benoit back to the outside mats. Helmsley stepped through the ropes and dropped to the outside with Benoit, picking him up and holding him over his shoulder, lining himself up with the edge of the ring. And with all the power his stocky legs could give him, Helmsley charged at the ring, ramming Benoit's spine into the edge. Benoit yelped as Helmsley pulled himself and Benoit back a few steps, and then charged into the edge again. Helmsley did not have to worry about being disqualified, so he was content being able to fight as dirty as he could. Before Hunter could pull Benoit away from the edge of the ring again, he noticed that Michaels was already back to his feet, running at the two of them and dropping down at the edge, sliding his feet into Benoit's back and bowling both Benoit and Helmsley over each other. Waiting for both of his opponents to stagger back to their feet, Michaels quickly mounted himself on top of the nearest ringpost, looking over his shoulder to see Benoit and Helmsley standing close enough to each other. With a little prayer in his mind, Michaels stood and leapt over, backflipping high into the air upon the startled Benoit and Helmsley. One giant crash later, all three men were laid out on the floor.


End file.
